Imani Rupert-Gordon

Imani Rupert-Gordon
Born (1979-04-16) April 16, 1979 (age 45)[1]
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of California, Santa Barbara (B.A.)
University of Chicago (A.M.)[2]
[3]
EmployerNational Center for Lesbian Rights[1][4]
SpouseDerah Rupert-Gordon[1][2]
FamilyMaya Rupert (sister)

Imani Rupert-Gordon (born April 16, 1979) is the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, California.[1][5]

Rupert-Gordon was born in Bedford Heights, Ohio, and grew up in Yucca Valley, California.[2] She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating with a bachelor's degree in sociology.[2] She then worked at the University of California, Santa Cruz for eight years before moving to Chicago to attend graduate school. She earned a master's degree in social work from the University of Chicago in 2013.[2][3]

Rupert-Gordon served as executive director of Affinity Community Services, a Chicago-based LGBTQ social justice organization focusing on Black women, from 2016 to 2020.[3][5] In 2019, she was named the new executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), succeeding Kate Kendell.[5] Rupert-Gordon began her directorship of NCLR in March 2020, working remotely from her home in Oakland, California due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Rupert-Gordon lives with her wife Derah Rupert-Gordon, who she married in 2015.[1] Her sister, Maya Rupert, is a former policy strategist for NCLR.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Bajko, Matthew S. (April 22, 2020). "NCLR ED takes helm amid health crisis". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Ocamb, Karen (December 26, 2019). "Meet Imani Rupert-Gordon, NCLR's new leader". Los Angeles Blade. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "The 2021 Crown Family School Alumni Award Recipients". Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. University of Chicago. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  4. ^ Casey, John (February 2, 2021). "For First Time Ever, Three National LGBTQ Orgs Have Black Leaders". The Advocate. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Ring, Trudy (December 17, 2019). "National Center for Lesbian Rights Leader on Making a Movement for All". The Advocate. Retrieved June 10, 2021.